Unhappy plants under red bud - Ask Extension
I have a well established redbud in my front yard, that I've been working to establish a garden under for the past 7 years. I've tried all the shade t...
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Unhappy plants under red bud #930172
Asked April 30, 2026, 1:59 PM EDT
I have a well established redbud in my front yard, that I've been working to establish a garden under for the past 7 years. I've tried all the shade tolerant drought resistant obvious choices like wild ginger, biokova and pachysandra and none of them have been happy. Even the hosta in the area are puny. There is also a black walnut in the area, so I'm concerned that is interfering with plant health as well. I'm tempted to just plant grass back under it, but I'd really love a shade garden under the redbud. Any thoughts? Thank you so much for your time!
Rice County Minnesota
Expert Response
My first suggestion is to get a soil test done:
https://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/testing-services/lawn-garden
Besides competing for sun, mature trees compete for water and nutrients. The soil test will tell about potassium and potash, but anything you plant will need nitrogen each year. And you've not told me about how much water the area gets.
Another thing that happens under mature trees is soil compaction and poor drainage. When planting, be sure to loosen the soil around the planting site, being careful, of course, not to disturb the roots of the tree.
Also consider what goes on under the tree. Does it get winter salt? Is there a lot of foot traffic? Are herbicides used nearby? And what does the tree look like? Is it healthy?
If hosta and pachysandra are failing, I wouldn't suggest trying anything else.
https://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/testing-services/lawn-garden
Besides competing for sun, mature trees compete for water and nutrients. The soil test will tell about potassium and potash, but anything you plant will need nitrogen each year. And you've not told me about how much water the area gets.
Another thing that happens under mature trees is soil compaction and poor drainage. When planting, be sure to loosen the soil around the planting site, being careful, of course, not to disturb the roots of the tree.
Also consider what goes on under the tree. Does it get winter salt? Is there a lot of foot traffic? Are herbicides used nearby? And what does the tree look like? Is it healthy?
If hosta and pachysandra are failing, I wouldn't suggest trying anything else.
